Folding tripod with folding platform



April 4, 1961 E. P. HALLIGAN 2,978,114

I FOLDING TRIPOD WITH FOLDING PLATFORM Filed Feb. 9, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Indnfarn April 4, 1961 E. P. HALLIGAN FOLDING TRIPOD WITH FOLDING PLATFORM jlfrrz'ayg,

V/l/l/l/llll/d Filed Feb. 9, 1959 FOLDING TRIPOD WITH FOLDING PLATFORM Eugene P. Halligan, GlenEllyn, Ill., assignor to Nye Tool Company, a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 792,089

8 Claims. Cl. 211-149 This invention relates to a folding tripod, and in particular itrelates to a tripod which is provided with an improved folding shelf pivoted on the legs of the tripod.

Plumbers and other persons who must work with pipe on a job commonly employ a portable vise stand which is in the form of a tripod with a speciallydesigned head for clamping pipe in place as it is cut or threaded. It is a great convenience to the person using such a vise stand to have a shelf upon which to place tools where they are ready at hand. The most convenient arrangement is a folding shelf between the legs of the tripod, which also serves as a brace and retainer for the legs when they are open. j V

The present invention consists of an improved folding shelf for a vise stand of the tripod type. The shelf is of sturdy and simple construction; and folds readily when thelegs of the tripod are collapsed.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a vise stand tripod equipped with the shelf, of the present invention, the legs of the tripod being in open position;

Fig. 2 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 with the tripod .legs in folded position;

V Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the folding shelf, with the tripod legs in section;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the shelf removed from the tripod legs;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the shelf in folded position, with the tripod legs broken away;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the shelf, taken substantially as illustrated along the line 66 of Fig. 4, to show the universal joint connection between the outer marginal portions of the shelf plates;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view taken substantially as illustrated along the line 77 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional'view of one of the universal joint connections with the shelf plates in folded position. i I

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a vise stand, indicated generally at 10, includes a vise stand base 11 having a pair of identical pivoted front legs 12 and pivoted rear leg 13. Surmounting the vise stand base 11 is a yoke type pipe vise 14. Front legs 12 and rear leg 13 are pivotally mounted in the vise stand base in bosses 11a so as to be movable between the open position of Fig. l and the folded position of Fig. 2. The angle of the legs when opened is determined by stop surfaces 11b on bosses 11a. Pivotally connected to the tripod legs 12 and His a folding tray, indicated generally at 15, which is the subject matter of the present invention.

The folding tray 15 is best seen in Fig. 3, and preferably consists of'three symmetrical, trapeziform plates 16 which may occupyjuxtaposed,directly edge-abutting coplanar positions to form a'triangular shelf. Each trapezi- United States Patent 0 form plate 16 has an apex corner -17 provided with a pair of arms forming a supporting yoke 18 by means of which the folding shelf 15 may be pivotally secured to. the tripod legs 12 and 13. As seen in Fig. 1, the yokes 18 which are secured to the front legs 12 of tripod 10 are inclined upwardly from the plane of the plates, and each yoke has a pivot pin 19 extending through the legs'12; while the yoke 18 which is secured to the rear leg 13 of the tripod is also upwardly inclined and has a pin 19 extending through a fastening clamp 20 which is clamped around the rear leg. Thus, even though there may be some irregularities in dimensions, the clamp 20 may be moved about on rear leg 13 to adjust shelf 15 to a horizontal position when the tripod legs are open as seen in Fig. 1.

Extending from the apex corner 17 of each plate are diverging sides 21 each of which forms one half of a side of the triangular shelf 15. Each. plate 16' also has a pair of relatively short, internal sides 22 which meet at an angle of 120; and the internal sides 22 of each plate abut corresponding sides of the other plates, so that the three trapeziform plates combine to provide a completely closed equilateral triangular shelf. The abutting internal sides 22 of any two plates meet along a vertical plane which bisects the tripod leg on which the third plate is pivoted. Each of the trapeziform plates 16 has suitable strengthening ribs 23 pressed into its surface, and its diverging sides 21 are provided with upturned skirts 24.

The shelf is illustrated in a triangular shape, formed of trapeziform plates 16; but it is obvious that shelves of other shapes may be provided, the only requirement being that the angle at the internal margins of the plates shall be so that the three plates occupy the full 360 of a circle.

The adjacent outer marginal portions of plates 16 are joined by universal joint connections 25. Each universal joint connection 25 consists of a shortlink 26 which extends. across. adjacent internal sides 2'2 and has a ball 27 at. each end, and each ball is carried in a sheet metal socket, indicated generally at 28, secured to the underside of one of the plates 16. The top 29 of each socket is pressed into the plate and communicates with a recess 30 which acts as a seat for part of link 26, while the bottom of eachsocket is formed by a retainer cap 3-1 which is welded to the underside of plate 16. The universal joint connections 25 permit the plates forming shelf '15 to be readily pivoted with respect to each other, for

movement between the shelf forming position of Fig. 1 and the folded position of Fig. 2; and the cooperation between links 26 and the recesses 30 of plates 16, in which the links seat, serves to lock the plates in their coplanar, shelf forming position. The locking action is aided by the fact that the plane of shelf pivots 19 is above the plane of the universal joint connections 25. Since the plates hinge on the links the hinge axis of any two plates is in a vertical plane which bisects the link and also bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted.

Shelf 15 provides a convenient rack for tools, and also serves as 'a folding brace, or strut between tripod legs 12 and 13, exerting an outward pressure on the open legs.

When the legs are moved from the open position of Fig.

1 to the folded position of Fig. 2, the shelf may be pressed upwardly at the center, and the pivotal motion of the yokes 18 on pins 19 together with the hinged connections provided by universal joints 25, permits the shelves to assume the folded position of Fig. 2.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three plates which occupy juxtaposed, directly edge-abutting coplanar positions to form an effectively continuous shelf when the legs are in open position; three hinge-like connections joining the periphery of said plates to provide hinge axes between the plates; means pivotally connecting the periphery of each plate to one leg of the tripod, the hinge axis of any two plates being on a vertical plane which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, said plates being adapted to lock in juxtaposed, coplanar relationship between the open legs of the tripod, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said hinge-like connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

2. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three plates which occupy juxtaposed,

directly edge-abutting coplanar positions to form an effectively continuous shelf when the legs are in open position; three universal joint connections joining the periphery of said plates; means pivotally connecting. the periphery of each plate to one leg of the tripod, said plates being adapted to lock in juxtaposed, coplanar relationship between the open legs of the tripod with the adjacent edges of any two plates substantially abutting along a vertical plane which passes through the universal joint connection between said plates and which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said universal joint connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

3. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form an effectively continuous shelf when the legs are in open position; three universal joint connections joining the periphery of said plates, each said connection consisting of a short link which extends across the bottom surface of adjacent sides of two plates and which has a ball at each end, and a socket in the under side of a marginal portion of each plate in which one of said balls is seated for universal movement; means pivotally connecting the periphery of each plate to one leg of the tripod with the adjacent edges of any two plates substantially abutting along a vertical plane which passes through the universal joint connection between said plates and which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, the links of said universal joint connections cooperating with the adjacent surfaces of the plates to lock said plates in juxtaposed, coplanar relationship between the open legs of the tripod, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said universal joint connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

4. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three identical symmetrical trapeziform plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form a triangular shelf when the legs are in open position; each plate having two long external sides which converge to form an apex of the triangular shelf and having two short internal sides which converge at an angle of 120; means pivotally connecting each apex of the shelf to a leg of the tripod; and means hingedly connecting each plate to the other two plates with each long side of a plate forming one-half of a side of the shelf, said plates being adapted to lock between the open legs of the tripod in juxtaposed, coplanar relationship with the short sides of any two plates substantially abutting in a vertical plane which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said hinged connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

5. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three identical, symmetrical trapeziform plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form a triangular shelf when the legs are in open position, each plate having two long external sides which converge to form an apex of the triangular shelf and having two short internal sides which converge at an angle of means pivotally connecting each apex of the shelf to a leg of the tripod; and universal joint connections joining each plate to the other two plates, each said connection consisting of a short link which extends across the bottom surface of adjacent sides of two 'plates and which has a ball at each end, and a socket in the under side of a marginal portion of each plate in which one of said balls is seated for universal movement, the relationship between said plates being such that each long side of a plate forms one-half of a side of the shelf, said links abutting the adjacent margins of the plates when the legs are open to lock said plates against downwardmovementwith the short sides of any two plates substantially abutting in a vertical plane which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said universal joint connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.v

. 6. In a tripod, folding shelf means comprising: three identical, symmetrical trapeziform plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form a triangular shelf when the legs are in open position; means pivotally connecting an apex, corner of each plate to a leg of the tripod; and means hingedly connecting another corner of each plate to one of the other plates, said plates being adapted to lock in coplanar relationship between the open legs of the tripod with adjacent sides of any two plates abutting along a vertical plane which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said hinged connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

7 In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: a plurality of plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form an effectively continuous shelf when the legs are in open position; a pivotal connection between each leg of the tripod and one of said plates; and a plurality of hinge-like connections joining adjacent sides of said plates for conjoint movement between juxtaposed, coplanar positions between the open legs of the tripodand relatively folded positions when the legs are collapsed, each said connection comprising a short link which extends across adjacent sides of two plates and has a ball at each end, and a socket in a marginal portion of each plate in which a ball is loosely seated for universal movement.

8. In a tripod having legs which are movable between an open position and a collapsed position, folding shelf means comprising: three plates which occupy juxtaposed, coplanar positions to form an effectively continuous shelf when the legs are in open position, each of said plates having two adjacent sides internal which form an angle of 120, three hinge-like connections joining said plates; and means pivotally connecting the periphery of each plate to one leg of the tripod on a vertical plane which is between the hinge-like connections for said plate, said plates being adapted to lock in juxtaposed, coplanar relationship between the open legs of the tripod with an internal side of any plate substantially abutting an internal side of a second plate along a vertical Plane which bisects the leg on which the third plate is pivoted, and said shelf pivoting on the legs and folding at said hingelike connections when the legs of the tripod are collapsed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 470,668 Fisher Mar. 15, 1892 2,343,924 Petersen Mar. 14, 1944 2,825,601 Doty Mar. 4, 1958 2,831,583 'Wright Apr. 22, 1958 

